Are Hair Supplements Really Effective?

The majority of hair Supplements contain a chemical called biotin also known as vitamin B7 and vitamin H. Now, the question arises is whether there are any benefits of extra biotin that we get from hair supplements? This article deals with this topic and addresses the query, are hair supplements really effective?

A wide variety of hair supplements ranging from gels, to capsules, to shampoos, and endless things termed as hair supplements are available. These hair supplements claim to regrow your thinning hair and give them a rejuvenated look. Majority of the people who have a genuine problem with hair loss tend to even use them only to find little success and in some cases no success at all in the rate at which their hair seems to be falling. Hence, the question, are hair supplements really effective?

The majority of hair supplements contain a chemical called biotin also known as vitamin B7 and vitamin H. Biotin is quite a helpful chemical when seen from an overall health perspective as it helps breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Studies suggest that the body does not require more than 30 mcg of biotin in a day, which we can easily get through the food that we eat especially bananas, egg yolks, broccoli, and the like.

Now, the question arises is whether there are any benefits of the extra biotin that we get from hair supplements? In short, are hair supplements really effective? The answer to this is a simple “no”. As of now, there has not been any supplement including biotin that has shown to prevent hair loss or regrow hair. Thus, utilizing hair supplements and other vitamins which claim to regrow and prevent hair loss is not true.

In some cases, where hair loss is due to a medical condition or as a side effect of a drug, then biotin has been shown to be of some help in re-growing hair, but if hair loss is congenital or hereditary then none of the hair supplements or vitamins including biotin can be of much help.

The usage of biotin is safe for the body even when taken in high doses, but in retrospect they may give out false positive results if a thyroid test is conducted and the results may show that you may have a thyroid problem whereas in realty your thyroid may be functioning absolutely fine.

Thus, if you are on the lookout for a vitamin or supplement to regrow hairs or prevent hair loss then it is recommended that you go for other options of getting enough nutrition for your hair. While biotin may be useful for hair, there are other vital nutrients too that can be helpful in improving your overall health, thus promoting better hair condition. So, instead of worrying about whether hair supplements are really effective or not, there are many other lifestyle measures you can take for healthy and shiny hair.

Some of the steps that you can take to prevent hair loss include

• Eating a well-balanced diet, especially protein as lack of it may result in hair loss.
• Apart from changing eating habits, taking good care of your hair can go a long way in keeping your hair healthy and prevent any hair loss.
• Try and avoid hairstyles which are too tight for the hair which may cause breakage of the hair and can damage it including, braiding, tight ponytails, and chemical straightening.

Additionally, you need to identify the cause of your persistent hair loss. It is possible that there may be an underlying medical condition, which can cause hair loss like a thyroid disease, iron deficiency, or lupus. It is also important to review the medications or treatments for a particular condition, as many may have hair loss as a side effect. If there is such a medication, then changing the medication might help hair loss. It is necessary to seek medical opinion and work on these problems for better hair health.

Thus, whether hair supplements are really effective or not, taking charge of your health and taking the right steps with medical advice is important.

In summary, if you are attempting to fix your hair loss problem with hair supplements just based on the claims that they advertise with, you need to think again. There is no scientific proof that such vitamins or supplements have improved regrowth of hair or prevent hair loss and especially those in hair supplements. Instead nutritious intake of healthy foods that provide vitamins and minerals may be more effective. Also, make sure that you watch out for overall health condition and medications, with medical advice.

There are a few medications like minoxidil and finasteride which can slow down the process of hair loss, but their effectiveness varies from person to person. Hence, the results may not be the same for everybody and the side effects that they cause is also something to consider.

As of now, hair transplantation is the only novel method which is most preferred these days for people with thinning hair or having persistent hair loss in order to regrow and get back their hair. Other than that, hair supplements are not really effective in preventing hair loss, although it may vary from person to person, based on individual health.